November 14, 2017 by wobblycartfarm

Wobbly Cart Farm CSA week 20

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11-7-17

Large share: Black Futsu winter squash, January King cabbage, arugula, Italian parsley or cilantro, red cipollini onions, red carrots, purple potatoes, turnips

Small share: Black Futsu winter squash, January King cabbage, arugula, Italian parsley, red carrots, purple potatoes, turnips

Greens share: red Russian kale, rapini, chard

Roots share: beets, purple daikon, red cipollini onion

Jucing share: Beet seconds, red carrot seconds, red Russian kale, Italian parsley, cilantro, celariac

Dear CSA members,

I’m finding it hard to believe that we are already in November! Where exactly did the last couple of months go? The rhythm of our farming year propels us rapidly into the winter season and the last couple of boxes of the CSA. We are going extra late this year with the late start to the season this spring. But, before we know it it will be holiday time and we the farmers will get a bit of a much needed break!

Last week we saw some pretty chilly temperatures and even a bit of snow! Those of us that remain on the crew at this point in the year have had to work extra hard to get everything done this week and deserve extra props for doing it during a very cold and wet week. The days are pretty short now and we have to start later and work fast to get our days work done before we lose the light. Challenging to say the least.

As I have mentioned before most of what we do during the later part of the season is harvest and wash enormous amounts of root vegetables. We dig, grade and sort thousands of pounds each week. I really enjoy taking crates of mud-covered roots and running them through our root washing machine and seeing how beautiful they come out on the other side. It is quite a transformation.

I also love how hearty all the winter crops, even the cabbages, herbs and greens are to withstand freezing temperatures, driving rain and wind and come out looking so beautiful by the time they make it to the pack shed and into your CSA shares. All tese crops ( aside from arugula which is quite delicate and tender) will keep exceptionally well for you either in the pantry (squashes and onions) or in the crisper drawer (everything else) should you need to delay eating any of them.

I think it is extra important to eat local nutrient dense foods and lots of greens to stay healthy during the winter months. Not only are they extremely rich in nutrients and antioxidants its almost as if they impart some of their inherent hardiness to us.

Storage of hearty crops reminds me that next week we will be delivering the storage shares to those that have ordered them. Look for two waxed cardboard boxes each storage share labeled with your name at your drop sites next week. Each storage share will be about 50lbs worth of crops divided into 2 25lb boxes so be ready for that!

New crops this week,

Black Futsu winter squash: This amazing squash, also known as Japanese black pumpkin, is a rare Japanese heirloom variety. Unusual deeply ribbed and warty surface with a powdery blue/orange rind color. This squash starts out a deep green almost black color and then gradually matures to the powdery blue/orange color. Flavor has compared to chestnuts or hazelnuts. Stores well, edible & highly ornamental. These squash are amazing keepers and will keep up to 8 months. The flavor will continue to improve over the next several weeks.

January King cabbage: This variety, developed in northern Europe, is one of the most winter hardy of all cabbages. It is a semi-savoy type with a slightly flattened head that is blushed with purple. January King cabbages are known for their excellent flavor and crisp texture.

Have a great week,

Asha

Spicy Cabbage Slaw: combine the zest and juice of one lime, 1 tsp cider vinegar, 1 tbsp sugar, ½ tsp salt, 1/3 cup canola oil, 2 hot chilies (stemmed and seeded), 1 plump garlic clove, chopped, ½ cup packed cilantro leaves in a food processor and process until well combined. Mix 4 cups thinly sliced cabbage, 1 cup shredded carrots, ½ cup thinly sliced red onion, and freshly ground black pepper. Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours but preferably overnight before serving.

Quick Sauerkraut: Thinly slice 1 head of cabbage and place in a large microwave safe bowl with 1 ¼ cups apple cider vinegar, 1/3 cup apple cider, 1 tbsp crushed toasted caraway seeds, and 2 tbsp kosher salt. Cover with a large piece of plastic wrap and seal edges. Microwave on high, 4 to 5 minutes. Let sit, still covered, until cabbage has absorbed its brine and bowl is cool to the touch, about 15 minutes. (from Sunset magazine May 2012)

Braised Turnips: Cook in boiling water, uncovered, over high heat for about 6 minutes: 1 ½ lbs turnips. Peeled, left whole if small, quartered if large. Drain. Melt in a large, heavy skillet over high heat 3 tbsp butter. Add the turnips and cook, stirring, until coated with butter, about 5 minutes. Add 1-cup chicken stock, ½ tsp salt, and black pepper to taste. The stock should come to bout ¾ inch up the side of the turnips; add more stock or water if needed. Reduce the heat, cover the skillet, and simmer until the turnips are tender but still slightly resistant to the tip of a sharp knife, 10 to 20 minutes. Remove the turnips to a serving dish. Boil the cooking liquid over high heat until reduced to a thin, syrupy glaze. Pour it over the turnips and serve immediately.

Caramelized Onions: Heat 2 tbsp butter and 2 tbsp olive oil over med-high heat until the butter is melted. Add 3 lbs yellow onions, thinly sliced. Sprinkle with 1 tsp salt. Cook stirring constantly, 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and brown, about 40 minutes. Add ½ cup dry white wine or water. Stir and scrape the pan to dissolve the browned bits. Remove from heat and season well with salt, black pepper and grated Parmesan cheese.

Mashed Potatoes with Cabbage and Scallions (Colcannon):

Place in a large saucepan or Dutch oven: 2 lbs fingerling potatoes peeled and cut into 1 ½ inch chunks. Add cold water just to cover, pile on top of the potatoes: 2 bunches scallions, white part only, sliced and 1 small green cabbage ( about 1 lb) cored and chopped into 1 inch pieces. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce the heat to maintain a gentle boil, and cook until the potatoes are fork-tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and return the potatoes, cabbage and scallions to the pot. Mash the mixture over low heat adding: ½ cup milk or half and half, warmed. ¼ cup butter, softened, ¾ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp black pepper. When the mixture is coarsely mashed, taste and adjust the seasonings.

Black Futsu squash with Jasmine-Kale Rice: Preheat oven to 400 degrees and quarter and clean seeds (reserve the seeds) from a Black Futsu squash, then slice into thin slices. Arrange the squash pieces (skin on) in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Toss them in olive oil, salt and pepper, ½ tsp paprika, ½ tsp cinnamon, and a dash of cayenne pepper. Transfer to the oven for about 35 to 40 minutes or until the squash has softened and easily peels away from the skin, rotating halfway through. Meanwhile cook 1 cup brown Jasmine rice or other fragrant variety according to package directions, but add in 2 to 3 whole cloves, 2 tbsp fennel seeds, salt and pepper to taste and a touch of olive oil. In a small skillet over low heat, add your rinsed and dried pumpkin seeds. These will toast up quickly and can burn if you don’t watch them closely. Stir them often until just barely browned, then remove from pan and set aside. When rice is just about done, stir in 1 ½ cups finely chopped kale. You just want to wilt it down, not cook it, so wait until you’re just about ready to serve. Toss is ¼ cup golden raisins. Serve along side the slices of black futsu and top with the toasted pumpkin seeds.

Italian Parsley Pesto: In a food processor place 2 cloves peeled garlic, 2 cups packed, stemmed Italian parsley, a pinch of sea salt, ¼ cup walnuts, ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese. Process until they form a paste. Gradually drizzle in 2/3 cup olive oil while blending. Adjust seasoning as necessary. Great with pasta, poultry, vegetables and rice.

October 21, 2014 by wobblycartfarm

Wobbly Cart Farm fall CSA box #1

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10-21-14

Wobbly Cart Farm Fall CSA box #1

Large share: Acorn squash, leeks, fingerling potatoes, celeriac, vitamin green, carrots, butterhead lettuce, cherry tomatoes, shallots, thyme

Small: Acorn squash, leeks, carrot, vitamin green, celeriac, mixed potatoes, cherry tomatoes, thyme

Dear CSA members,

Welcome to the first box of the fall season! We are so happy you have joined us/ continued on from the summer season with us. We have so much delicious produce available in our pacific-northwest fall/winter and it’s exciting to be able to share it with you!

When we first started Wobbly Cart Farm 10 years ago we were for the most part done with our season by mid November. Winter was a time of rest and recuperation. These days, through planning, infrastructure, and having a market for the produce we now continue on virtually year round. Most of our fall and winter crops get deeded and transplanted in the month of August, which gives them ample growing time before the short wet days of late October come along. The moisture and lack of light dosen’t allow for much growth past late September, so we must get the crops in early to size up before that time. We also have 2 high tunnels (greenhouses where we grow in the ground) that have further extended our season and crop options. We also have a lot of produce such as winter squash, potatoes, and onions in storage that we rely on for the weeks to come.

What you see in your box this week is a great example of the crops that we do have available this time of year!

Acorn squash: this winter squash is a very familiar one to most of us. Acorn squash has a sweet, nutty flavor and is excellent baked, sautéed, or steamed. Acorn squash is also delicious made into soups. The seeds can be cleaned and roasted and make a tasty and nutritious snack. This squash will keep for quite some time in a cool dry place.

Leeks: this long and lovely member of the Allium family (onions, garlic and the like) is one of our star winter performers. They will stay alive through most winters here as long as the temperature dosen’t go below 10 degrees or so. They are much prized by chefs for their mild and tender flavor. To use them, first slice the whole thing vertically. Then fan out the many layers under running water to remove any trapped sediments. Slice off the tougher deep green tops, and use the white and light green parts in your recipes. Leeks will also keep for many weeks in your fridge crisper drawer. By peeling away outer layers, you can remove any discolored parts if you do decide to keep them for an extended time.

Vitamin green: this asian green is similar to bok choy but more delicate in texture. I noticed that this batch is extra tender and likely to get slightly bruised. I would attribute this to the warm growing conditons we have been having this October. That said, you should probably use these up very soon! Vitamin green is also very sweet and delicious so that shouldn’t be a problem. They are great sautéed, or eaten fresh.

Celariac: the large and unusual knobby root with celery-like tops is celeriac. When the root is scrubbed and peeled, inside is a firm ivory flesh. The celeriac roots is very low in starch and is a nice alternative to potatoes and other starchier root vegetables. It tastes like a subtle blend of celery and parsley. You can use it in soups, grated into salads, roasted in a pan of other root vegetables, or even French fried instead of potatoes.

Thyme: is an herb from a low growing woody perennial plant. This aromatic herb can be used for cooking, medicine, and aromatic purposes and stands up very well to our robust fall and winter vegetables. The leaves are excellent fresh added to your dishes near the end of cooking to preserve the delicate flavor. Also, you could easily dry your thyme for later use by spreading the sprigs out in a warm dry location for a few days, then stripping the dry leaves off into a storage container.

Shallot: large shares received 2 shallots. Shallots are another member of the onion family, and are used similarly to onions and garlic, but are generally milder and sweeter in nature. Shallots also incorporate themselves into dishes more fully than onions and leave a greater depth of flavor. Shallots are prized in many cuisines around the world and are excellent caramelized, fried crisp as a topping, pickled, and cooked with meats.

I hope you enjoy this week’s box and thank you all for joining us!

Asha, Joe and the crew at Wobbly Cart

Fall Potato Salad: Toss 2 lbs cubed potatoes with salt and olive oil and spread on a baking sheet. Roast in a 450 degree oven for 20 to 30 minutes. Combine with various fall vegetables of your choice; onion, shallot, garlic, carrots, roasted winter squash,celariac or parsnips for example. Toss with fresh tomato wedges, basil, thyme or other herbs of your choice. Dress with ¼ cup olive oil whipped with 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar.

Leek and Potato Gratin: Preheat oven to 375. In a large pot of salted boiling water, parboil 3 lbs red potatoes, sliced 1/8 inch thick, for 5 minutes. Drain potatoes well and set aside. In a large skillet, heat 2 Tbsp unsalted butter over medium heat. Saute 10 medium leeks, white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1 inch pieces (washed thoroughly), and 4 chopped garlic cloves until leeks are tender about 7 minutes. Set aside. In a buttered 9 x 13 inch baking dish, arrange half of reserved potatoes in an overlapping pattern. Pour 1 cup cream and ½ cup milk over the top and sprinkle with 1 tsp salt. Top with reserved leeks and arrange remaining potatoes. Pour another cup of heavy cream and ½ cup milk and sprinkle with ½ tsp salt. Bake until potatoes are tender, top of gratin is golden brown, and most of the cream and milk have been absorbed, about 45 minutes. Garnish with parsely. Serves 12. From November 2011 issue of Country Living magazine).

Celariac and Apple Slaw: Trim, peel, and cut into 1 inch matchsticks, 1 12oz Celery root. Cut 1 large Johnagold apple into matchsticks (2 cups). Combine together with 1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp fresh cider, 2 tsp sugar, 2 tsp dijon mustard, and 2 tsp chopped fresh parsley. Let stand for 30 minutes before serving.

Celeriac Mash: Peel and dice 3 ½ cups of celeriac. Cook celeriac in a large saucepan of boiling slated water for 15 minutes. Add 1 12 oz potato that has been peeled, and cut into 1 ½ inch chunks, and boil until celeriac and potato are very tender, about 15 minutes longer. Drain. Return to same saucepan; stir over medium-high heat until any excess liquid in pan evaporates, about 2 minutes. Add ¼ cup heavy cream and 2 Tbsp butter; mash until mixture is almost smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Frizzled Leeks: Cut 2 leeks (white and very light green parts only) into 2 inch lengths and then cut lengthwise into very fine shreds. Rinse the shreds thoroughly, using your fingers to separate the pieces and remove any grit hiding there. Drain thoroughly and blot dry with a clean towel. While the leeks dry, heat 2 to 4 cups canola oil in a deep pan. The pan should hold about 1 ½ inches deep of the oil. When the oil surface is shivering, add a few leek shreds and fry for 10 to 15 seconds. Remove the leeks to a paper towel lined platter to drain and cool. The oil should be hot enough to crisp the leeks golden brown in about 10 to 15 seconds, adjust temperature as needed. Fry the leeks in small batches until all are golden and crisp. Lightly season them with salt and use for snacking or to top salads and creamy soups. They will keep in an airtight container for 3 days at room temp.

Baked acorn squash with brown sugar and butter: Preheat oven to 400. Cut 1 acorn squash in half and scoop out seeds and stringy pulp. Mix together 2 tbsp brown sugar, 2 tbsp softened butter, 2 tbsp maple syrup, and salt and pepper to taste. Rub the inside of the squash with this mixture. Place the squash cut side up on a baking sheet and bake the squash for about 1 hour or until tender when pierced with a fork.

November 12, 2013 by wobblycartfarm

Wobbly Cart Farm Fall CSA box #4

Large Fall Share #4

Wobbly Cart Farm Fall CSA box #4

11-12-13

Large Shares: Beets, Carrots, Parsley Root, Leeks, Potatoes, Delicata Squash, Chard, Rapini, Celariac, Thyme, Rosemary, Garlic

Small Shares: Leeks, Potatoes, Delicata Squash, Rapini, Beets, Carrots, Thyme, Rosemary, Garlic

Dear CSA members,

Here we are at the last week of our Fall season. Again, the weeks seem to have flown by and it’s hard to believe it is almost Thanksgiving! On the farm we have been enjoying the relatively mild weather, and the slower pace of the late season. It has been such a pleasant fall season. Seems like in years past there has been much more freezing weather, sideways rain and near floods! Thankfully, not this year.
Many of the end of season tasks around the farm are virtually done. The cover crops are growing, manure has been spread on some of our fallow fields, most of the onions and squash have been sold or sorted, and all the irrigation equipment has been put away till next year. The only exception seems to be our two high tunnels, which still await me to break down what’s left of the summer tomatoes and peppers, roll up the drip irrigation tape, compost and cover crop. It seems to be a dilemma of the season extension, timing the crops so there is actually a break to amend the soil and cover crop. Hopefully, I will get that done this week or next!
New this week we have Rapini, Delicata Squash and Parsley Root. Rapini is essentially the Italian equivalent to turnip greens. I read this article last night and thought is was quite a fitting summary as well as a nice recipe. Rapini will keep, wrapped in plastic in the refrigerator for about a week.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/zester-daily/rapini_b_4072299.html

Parsley root is another vegetable better known in Europe than the United States. This long white root is a member of the carrot family, and looks like a parsnip, but tastes more like celery or parsley. The roots have a strong flavor that lends itself well to caramelizing or adding flavor to soups and stews. Stored like carrots these roots will keep for several weeks.
Delicata is the queen of the winter squash in my opinion. They are a nice size, easy to cut and clean, have a thin, edible skin and excellent flavor. Delicata is excellent roasted, caramelized, made into soups or baked into a pie! Most people think they are even sweeter and creamier than butternut squash. This squash will also keep for a long time in a cool dry place, like a pantry shelf.
I want to be sure to say thank you to everyone for joining us this season. It has been a wonderful 22 weeks growing food for you. I thought I should also be sure to tell you that we have lots of great produce for sale at the Olympia Farmer’s Market Saturday and Sundays. We have a $22 to $23“Market Special” box each week that is very similar to picking your weekly CSA box. Ask about a discount for our CSA members!
We hope you have enjoyed the season as much as we have! Please remember to take care of any balance due on your account, as well as return all plastic CSA boxes to the drop sites! We will be back to pick them up next week!

Have a happy and healthy holiday season and we’ll see you next year!

Asha, Joe and the Crew at Wobbly Cart

Creamy Barley and Chard Dressing: Preheat oven to 325. Cook 1 ¼ cups pearled barley in 4 cups chicken broth according to package directions and add ¾ tsp cracked black pepper. Meanwhile in a large skillet cook 2 cups chopped onion, and 1 ½ lbs winter squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1 inch pieces in ½ cup butter over medium heat, covered, until just tender, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in cooked barley, 5 cups chopped Swiss chard, 1 cup toasted, chopped walnuts, and 1 ½ cups finely shredded Parmesan cheese. Transfer to a 3- quart rectangular baking dish. Bake, uncovered, 25 to 30 minutes or until heated through. Makes 8 servings. (From BHG magazine November 2013)

Lemon Garlic Mashed Potatoes: in a large saucepan cook 3 lbs potatoes, scrubbed and cut into chunks and 4 cloves of garlic halved in lightly salted boiling water, covered, 20 to 25 minutes or until tender. Drain potatoes, reserving 1 cup water. Mash potatoes with a potato masher until smooth. Add 2 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp butter, ¼ tsp salt, ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper and enough of the reserved liquid to reach the desired consistency. Stir to combine. Transfer potatoes to serving dish. Top with 2 tbsp capers, drained, 1/3 cup chopped Italian parsley, 2 tsp finely shredded lemon peel. Drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil and squeeze the juice of 1 lemon over before serving.

Delicata Squash Rings: Preheat oven to 375. Take a whole delicata squash and slice it across sideways. This will make ring shapes out of it. Scoop the seeds out of the middles of your squash rings. Lightly oil a large cast iron skillet with olive oil. Lay the rings out in a single layer across the skillet. Place in the hot oven. Bake for about 10 minutes. Then flip the rings with a spatula. Bake the other side until both sides are lightly browned and the squash is tender. Remove from oven and serve.

Leek and Potato Gratin: Preheat oven to 375. In a large pot of salted boiling water, parboil 3 lbs red potatoes, sliced 1/8 inch thick, for 5 minutes. Drain potatoes well and set aside. In a large skillet, heat 2 Tbsp unsalted butter over medium heat. Saute 10 medium leeks, white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1 inch pieces (washed thoroughly), and 4 chopped garlic cloves until leeks are tender about 7 minutes. Set aside. In a buttered 9 x 13 inch baking dish, arrange half of reserved potatoes in an overlapping pattern. Pour 1 cup cream and ½ cup milk over the top and sprinkle with 1 tsp salt. Top with reserved leeks and arrange remaining potatoes. Pour another cup of heavy cream and ½ cup milk and sprinkle with ½ tsp salt. Bake until potatoes are tender, top of gratin is golden brown, and most of the cream and milk have been absorbed, about 45 minutes. Garnish with parsely. Serves 12. From November 2011 issue of Country Living magazine).

Celariac and Apple Slaw: Trim, peel, and cut into 1 inch matchsticks, 1 12oz Celery root. Cut 1 large Johnagold apple into matchsticks (2 cups). Combine together with 1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp fresh cider, 2 tsp sugar, 2 tsp dijon mustard, and 2 tsp chopped fresh parsley. Let stand for 30 minutes before serving.

Pumpkin, Parsley Root, and Thyme Soup: Clean and peel 1 small Pie Pumpkin or Delicata Squash, cut into cubes. Combine the squash with 1.5 L chicken stock, 1 chopped onion, 5 cubed parsley roots (or Celaria), 1 cubed potato, ½ tsp salt, 1 clove minced garlic, 2 sprigs fresh thyme, stems removed, and bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer without the lid on and cook for 30 minutes. Puree the soup and add ½ tsp chili flakes. Simmer for 20 minutes more. Garnish with ½ tsp more chili flakes, more fresh thyme and black pepper. Serve with homemade croutons. (honestcooking.com)

October 8, 2013 by wobblycartfarm

Wobbly Cart Farm CSA box #17

Wobbly Cart Farm CSA box #17

Large Shares: Spinach, Delicata Squash, Leeks, Potatoes, Red Onions, Butterhead Lettuce, Carrots, Sweet Peppers, Celariac, Parsnips, Fresh Thyme, Garlic

Small Shares: Eggplant, Delicata Squash, Leeks, Red Onion, Lettuce, Carrots, Cabbage, Fresh Thyme, Garlic

Dear CSA members,

Seems like almost overnight the leaves have turned color and are blowing down in the fall wind. What happened to summer? The week’s have flown by and now we are reaching the end of our season. It has been an amazing journey and such a pleasure growing and packing these vegetables for you. Hope you have enjoyed the journey as well! We still have tons of produce in the fields and barns to carry us through the next several months, as this week’s box will reflect. We have many of our best fall staples this week. A fresh bunch of spinach for the large shares, as well as, our first taste of leeks, Delicata squash, thyme, celariac and parsnips. Delicata squash is a delicious winter squash variety. This long yellow and green striped squash will keep for several weeks on your counter top or in the pantry, and in fact will develop more flavor in time. To eat cut in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds and bake face down in a buttered glass baking pan at 350 degrees until tender. Scoop out the sweet and tender flesh and enjoy. There are many ways to use winter squash including baking them into pies. If you don’t want to eat it now, it will keep for several weeks, so no hurry. The large and unusual knobby root with celery-like tops is celeriac. When the root is scrubbed and peeled, inside is a firm ivory flesh. The celeriac roots is very low in starch and is a nice alternative to potatoes and other starchier root vegetables. It tastes like a subtle blend of celery and parsley. You can use it in soups, grated into salads, roasted in a pan of other root vegetables, or even French fried instead of potatoes. Large shares will also get 1 lb of parsnips. These are the gorgeous white carrot-like roots. Indeed, they are related to the carrot and have been eaten as a vegetable since antiquity. The parsnip develops an incredibly sweet and rich flavor once we have had several weeks of cold weather, a phenomenon that has occurred early this year! You can enjoy parsnips peeled, then roasted, fried, boiled and mashed and even raw. Both parsnips and celeriac will keep a very long time if wrapped and refrigerated. Thyme is an herb from a low growing woody perennial plant. This aromatic herb can be used for cooking, medicine, and aromatic purposes and stands up very well to our robust fall and winter vegetables. The leaves are excellent fresh added to your dishes near the end of cooking to preserve the delicate flavor. Also, you could easily dry your thyme for later use by spreading the sprigs out in a warm dry location for a few days, then stipping the dry leaves off into a storage container. And last but not least, another star of the fall and winter: leeks! These tall alliums look like giant scallions and are and excellent addition to your fall and winter menu. Slice the leek lengthwise and rinse out any sediment before chopping. The white part is the most desirable and adds a sweet subtle onion flavor to your dishes. Leeks are superb in soups, braised, or sliced very thin and crisp-fried and a garnish. Hope you enjoy! And please remember to return your CSA boxes to the drop site and well as clear up any remaining balance on your account before the season is over. Thank you! Asha, Joe and the Crew at Wobbly Cart

Fall Potato Salad: Toss 2 lbs cubed potatoes with salt and olive oil and spread on a baking sheet. Roast in a 450 degree oven for 20 to 30 minutes. Combine with various fall vegetables of your choice; onion, garlic, carrots, roasted winter squash,celariac or parsnips for example. Toss with fresh tomato wedges, basil, thyme or other herbs of your choice. Dress with ¼ cup olive oil whipped with 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar.

Roasted Carrots with Parsnips and Thyme: Preheat oven to 350. Peel and trim 1 lb each of carrots and parsnips and cut them inhalf lengthwise. Large ones can be quartered. Place them on a large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle the carrots and parsnips with 3 tbsp olive oil and 2 tbsp honey. Season with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Scatter 6 sprigs of fresh thyme on top. After 10 minutes, give the veggies a toss and put back in the oven for another 10 minutes until soft and slightly caramelized. Serve warm.

Celeriac Mash: Peel and dice 3 ½ cups of celeriac. Cook celeriac in a large saucepan of boiling slated water for 15 minutes. Add 1 12 oz potato that has been peeled, and cut into 1 ½ inch chunks, and boil until celeriac and potato are very tender, about 15 minutes longer. Drain. Return to same saucepan; stir over medium-high heat until any excess liquid in pan evaporates, about 2 minutes. Add ¼ cup heavy cream and 2 Tbsp butter; mash until mixture is almost smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Leek and Potato Gratin: Preheat oven to 375. In a large pot of salted boiling water, parboil 3 lbs potatoes, sliced 1/8 inch thick, for 5 minutes. Drain potatoes well and set aside. In a large skillet, heat 2 Tbsp unsalted butter over medium heat. Saute 10 medium leeks, white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1 inch pieces (washed thoroughly), and 4 chopped garlic cloves until leeks are tender about 7 minutes. Set aside. In a buttered 9 x 13 inch baking dish, arrange half of reserved potatoes in an overlapping pattern. Pour 1 cup cream and ½ cup milk over the top and sprinkle with 1 tsp salt. Top with reserved leeks and arrange remaining potatoes. Pour another cup of heavy cream and ½ cup milk and sprinkle with ½ tsp salt. Bake until potatoes are tender, top of gratin is golden brown, and most of the cream and milk have been absorbed, about 45 minutes. Garnish with parsely. Serves 12. From November 2011 issue of Country Living magazine).

Delicata Squash with Thyme and Cider Glaze: Peel 2 medium Delicata squash with a vegetable peeler, cut it in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds with a spoon. Cut each piece in half lengthwise again, then crosswise into ½ inch thick slices. Melt 3 Tbsp unsalted butter in a large skillet over low heat. Add and 1 Tbsp coarsely chopped thyme and cook, stirring, until the butter just begins to turn golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Do not brown the herbs. Cooking the herbs in butter mellows their flavor and improves their texture. Add the squash to the skillet, then 1 ½ cups unfiltered apple cider or juice, 1 cup water, 2 tsp sherry vinegar, 1 tsp salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat at an even boil until the cider has boiled down to a glaze and the squash is tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Taste and season with pepper and additional salt if needed. ( from The Herbfarm Cookbook by Jerry Traunfeld).